salammbo-第16章

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place　himself　in　front　of　the　Suffet；　and　Gisco　could　feel　his　eyes

continually　like　two　flaming　phalaricas　darted　against　him。　Several

times　they　hurled　reproaches　at　each　other　over　the　heads　of　the

crowd；　but　without　making　themselves　heard。　The　distribution；

meanwhile；　continued；　and　the　Suffet　found　expedients　to　remove　every

obstacle。



The　Greeks　tried　to　quibble　about　differences　in　currency；　but　he

furnished　them　with　such　explanations　that　they　retired　without　a

murmur。　The　Negroes　demanded　white　shells　such　as　are　used　for　trading

in　the　interior　of　Africa；　but　when　he　offered　to　send　to　Carthage　for

them　they　accepted　money　like　the　rest。



But　the　Balearians　had　been　promised　something　better；　namely；　women。

The　Suffet　replied　that　a　whole　caravan　of　maidens　was　expected　for

them；　but　the　journey　was　long　and　would　require　six　moons　more。　When

they　were　fat　and　well　rubbed　with　benjamin　they　should　be　sent　in

ships　to　the　ports　of　the　Balearians。



Suddenly　Zarxas；　now　handsome　and　vigorous；　leaped　like　a　mountebank

upon　the　shoulders　of　his　friends　and　cried：



〃Have　you　reserved　any　of　them　for　the　corpses？〃　at　the　same　time

pointing　to　the　gate　of　Khamon　in　Carthage。



The　brass　plates　with　which　it　was　furnished　from　top　to　bottom　shone

in　the　sun's　latest　fires；　and　the　Barbarians　believed　that　they　could

discern　on　it　a　trail　of　blood。　Every　time　that　Gisco　wished　to　speak

their　shouts　began　again。　At　last　he　descended　with　measured　steps；

and　shut　himself　up　in　his　tent。



When　he　left　it　at　sunrise　his　interpreters；　who　used　to　sleep

outside；　did　not　stir；　they　lay　on　their　backs　with　their　eyes　fixed；

their　tongues　between　their　teeth；　and　their　faces　of　a　bluish　colour。

White　mucus　flowed　from　their　nostrils；　and　their　limbs　were　stiff；　as

if　they　had　all　been　frozen　by　the　cold　during　the　night。　Each　had　a

little　noose　of　rushes　round　his　neck。



From　that　time　onward　the　rebellion　was　unchecked。　The　murder　of　the

Balearians　which　had　been　recalled　by　Zarxas　strengthened　the　distrust

inspired　by　Spendius。　They　imagined　that　the　Republic　was　always

trying　to　deceive　them。　An　end　must　be　put　to　it！　The　interpreters

should　be　dispensed　with！　Zarxas　sang　war　songs　with　a　sling　around

his　head；　Autaritus　brandished　his　great　sword；　Spendius　whispered　a

word　to　one　or　gave　a　dagger　to　another。　The　boldest　endeavoured　to

pay　themselves；　while　those　who　were　less　frenzied　wished　to　have　the

distribution　continued。　No　one　now　relinquished　his　arms；　and　the

anger　of　all　combined　into　a　tumultuous　hatred　of　Gisco。



Some　got　up　beside　him。　So　long　as　they　vociferated　abuse　they　were

listened　to　with　patience；　but　if　they　tried　to　utter　the　least　word

in　his　behalf　they　were　immediately　stoned；　or　their　heads　were　cut

off　by　a　sabre…stroke　from　behind。　The　heap　of　knapsacks　was　redder

than　an　altar。



They　became　terrible　after　their　meal　and　when　they　had　drunk　wine！

This　was　an　enjoyment　forbidden　in　the　Punic　armies　under　pain　of

death；　and　they　raised　their　cups　in　the　direction　of　Carthage　in

derision　of　its　discipline。　Then　they　returned　to　the　slaves　of　the

exchequer　and　again　began　to　kill。　The　word　〃strike；〃　though　different

in　each　language；　was　understood　by　all。



Gisco　was　well　aware　that　he　was　being　abandoned　by　his　country；　but

in　spite　of　its　ingratitude　he　would　not　dishonour　it。　When　they

reminded　him　that　they　had　been　promised　ships；　he　swore　by　Moloch　to

provide　them　himself　at　his　own　expense；　and　pulling　off　his　necklace

of　blue　stones　he　threw　it　into　the　crowd　as　the　pledge　of　his　oath。



Then　the　Africans　claimed　the　corn　in　accordance　with　the　engagements

made　by　the　Great　Council。　Gisco　spread　out　the　accounts　of　the

Syssitia　traced　in　violet　pigment　on　sheep　skins；　and　read　out　all

that　had　entered　Carthage　month　by　month　and　day　by　day。



Suddenly　he　stopped　with　gaping　eyes；　as　if　he　had　just　discovered　his

sentence　of　death　among　the　figures。



The　Ancients　had；　in　fact；　fraudulently　reduced　them；　and　the　corn

sold　during　the　most　calamitous　period　of　the　war　was　set　down　at　so

low　a　rate　that；　blindness　apart；　it　was　impossible　to　believe　it。



〃Speak！〃　they　shouted。　〃Louder！　Ah！　he　is　trying　to　lie；　the　coward！

Don't　trust　him。〃



For　some　time　he　hesitated。　At　last　he　resumed　his　task。



The　soldiers；　without　suspecting　that　they　were　being　deceived；

accepted　the　accounts　of　the　Syssitia　as　true。　But　the　abundance　that

had　prevailed　at　Carthage　made　them　furiously　jealous。　They　broke　open

the　sycamore　chest；　it　was　three　parts　empty。　They　had　seen　such　sums

coming　out　of　it；　that　they　thought　it　inexhaustible；　Gisco　must　have

buried　some　in　his　tent。　They　scaled　the　knapsacks。　Matho　led　them；

and　as　they　shouted　〃The　money！　the　money！〃　Gisco　at　last　replied：



〃Let　your　general　give　it　to　you！〃



He　looked　them　in　the　face　without　speaking；　with　his　great　yellow

eyes；　and　his　long　face　that　was　paler　than　his　beard。　An　arrow；　held

by　its　feathers；　hung　from　the　large　gold　ring　in　his　ear；　and　a

stream　of　blood　was　trickling　from　his　tiara　upon　his　shoulder。



At　a　gesture　from　Matho　all　advanced。　Gisco　held　out　his　arms；

Spendius　tied　his　wrists　with　a　slip　knot；　another　knocked　him　down；

and　he　disappeared　amid　the　disorder　of　the　crowd　which　was　stumbling

over　the　knapsacks。



They　sacked　his　tent。　Nothing　was　found　in　it　except　things

indispensable　to　life；　and；　on　a　closer　search；　three　images　of

Tanith；　and；　wrapped　up　in　an　ape's　skin；　a　black　stone　which　had

fallen　from　the　moon。　Many　Carthaginians　had　chosen　to　accompany　him；

they　were　eminent　men；　and　all　belonged　to　the　war　party。



They　were　dragged　outside　the　tents　and　thrown　into　the　pit　used　for

the　reception　of　filth。　They　were　tied　with　iron　chains　around　the

body　to　solid　stakes；　and　were　offered　food　at　the　point　of　the

javelin。



Autaritus　overwhelmed　them　with　invectives　as　he　inspected　them；　but

being　quite　ignorant　of　his　language　they　made　no　reply；　and　the　Gaul

from　time　to　time　threw　pebbles　at　their　faces　to　make　them　cry　out。



The　next　day　a　sort　of　languor　took　possession　of　the　army。　Now　that

their　anger　was　over　they　were　seized　with　anxiety。　Matho　was

suffering　from　vague　melancholy。　It　seemed　to　him　that　Salammbo　had

indirectly　been　insulted。　These　rich　men　were　a　kind　of　appendage　to

her　person。　He　sat　down　in　the　night　on　the　edge　of　the　pit；　and

recognised　in　their　groanings　something　of　the　voice　of　which　his

heart　was　full。



All；　however；　upbraided　the　Libyans；　who　alone　had　been　paid。　But

while　national　antipathies　revived；　together　with　personal　hatreds；　it

was　felt　that　it　would　be　perilous　to　give　way　to　them。　Reprisals

after　such　an　outrage　would　be　formidable。　It　was　necessary；

therefore；　to　anticipate　the　vengeance　of　Carthage。　Conventions　and

harangues　never　ceased。　Every　one　spoke；　no　one　was　listened　to；

Spendius；　usually　so　loquacious；　shook　his　head　at　every　proposal。



One　evening　he　asked　Matho　carelessly　whether　there　were　not　springs

in　the　interior　of　the　town。



〃Not　one！〃　replied　Matho。



The　next　day　Spendius　drew　him　aside　to　the　bank　of　the　lake。



〃Master！〃　said　the　former　slave；　〃If　your　heart　is　dauntless；　I　will

bring　you　into　Carthage。〃



〃How？〃　repeated　the　other；　panting。



〃Swear　to　execute　all　my　commands　and　to　follow　me　like　a　shadow！〃



Then　Matho；　raising　his　arm　towards　the　planet　of　Chabar；　exclaimed：



〃By　Tanith；　I　swear！〃



Spendius　resumed：



〃To…morrow　after　sunset　you　will　wait　for　me　at　the　foot　of　the

aqueduct　between　the　ninth　and　tenth　arcades。　Bring　with　you　an　iron

pick；　a　crestless　helmet；　and　leathern　sandals。〃



The　aqueduct　of　which　he　spoke　crossed　the　entire　isthmus　obliquely；

a　considerable　work；　afterwards　enlarged　by　the　Romans。　In　spite　of

her　disdain　of　other　nations；　Carthage　had　awkwardly　borr